Midgard Chronicles: The Revenge of the Dark Lord
by darthvader09
Summary: What seemed to be an ordinary life of a Sage, a Priestess, a Blacksmith, and an Assassin turned out to be a noble mission to save RuneMidgard from the fiery revenge of Dark Lord... Please do submit your reviews to this story... Thanks..
1. Chapter 1

Resurrection: The Story of a Sage

In a _sogen _within the boundaries of Rune-Midgard lies a wounded Sage. He knew that his life would come to an end in a moment. Though he could heal himself, no power could ever heal the wounds made on him. In agony, he recalled his past and weeps.

"Shane! If you only knew how I have trusted on you! I gave my heart, my trust, my love to you! Now look what you've done! You've been a traitor! If you've only told me… I would have set you free…"

4 moons ago, the Sage visited the city of Geffen to buy gemstones. This Sage have been in his peak, practicing his powers while at the same time studying in Juno, the city of wisdom, to improve it. He wore a simple hat and glasses, and used a wand to further increase his powers. He admitted that although he didn't walk in the supposed path of a Mage, which was a Wizard, he could still catch up and use his intelligence to improve the simple skills he adopted as a Mage, with the additional spices from his adopted skills as a Sage. In fact, he would always remark: "Who cares? Sages can dodge while casting while Wizards cannot!" And he would simply laugh whenever someone would discourage him from his job.

As he bought from the trader, he saw a new Mage from the Academy. In the first sight, the Sage fell in love with the Mage. Without hesitation, he quickly followed the Mage who, in the act, was about to leave the city and blast off monsters infesting Rune-Midgard. The Sage went out of the city gates, but never saw the Mage. In disappointment, he walked and traveled back to Juno.

The next morning he traveled back again to Geffen, hoping to see the girl Mage again. In his luck, he saw the maiden, having a hard time dealing with tough monsters (within her level).

"Help! Help! Somebody help me! I can't cast!"

The Sage cast his spell. After a few seconds…

"Thunderstorm!!"

Lighting strike over the area, killing off the monsters.

"I… I can't move…"

"Here, let me help you…" The Sage healed the Mage.

"Thanks… Wh… What job are you in, sir?" The Mage asked.

"I… I'm a Sage…" The Sage answered, the eyes stuck to the beautiful Magician of good proportion.

"I… I'm Shane… Nice meeting you, sir."

'I… I'm still young, don't call me sir, I beg you…"

"A-Alright then. Thanks again." Shane smiled.

'Uh, see you around…" The Sage said.

As the two of them walked on their ways, both of them thought of each other. And as the time passed by, they slowly realized how they love each other. For many times the Sage met Shane, and hunted down monsters together. One time while they were strolling in Prontera.

"Shane, I… I want to tell you something."

"What is it?" Shane answered in expectation and in curiosity.

"Shane, for many times we have been together, Shane, I…"

"What? Come on tell me…"

"I, I love you Shane… I don't care about our gap. Shane, I love you so much…"

"I love you, too…" The two became lovers then.

As time passed by, they went to many adventures and monster-blasting. One time, they tried to visit the Prontera Culverts.

"But Shane, the monsters in here are too weak for me."

"Just help me around, please? Wait, a Thief Bug!" While casting her bolt, a bat flew on her, disturbing her concentration. The Sage then cast his own spell and with one hit, the bat went to its demise.

"See, they're too weak for me…" The Sage remarked when they heard a girl calling for help.

"I think we need to help her. Look!" Shane shouted. A Swordswoman (probably a new member of the Swordsman Guild) was trying to ward off the bugs swarming on her.

"Wait!" Shane presented. Stood and whispered the spell and cast the magic.

"Please heal her. She needs it." Shane said to him.

When the Swordswoman stood up, she made her thanks to the couple, but she stuck her look on the Sage.

"Thanks a lot." The Swordswoman said, blushing.

"It's alright. Just be careful next time. We got to go now. See you around." The Sage said.

One time, the Sage was required to travel back to Juno to finish his studies about a certain spell. Shane was left in Geffen and travelled as well to practice her elemental magic. Along the way, the Sage saw the Swordswoman again.

"Nice to meet you again. By the way, what's your name?" The Sage asked.

"I… I'm Pauline. And you?" the Swordswoman asked.

The two of them became friends. The lady Swordsman went with the Sage as he traveled, but as they reached the boundary of Al de Baran, they had to separate ways.

"I think I need to go alone now. There are many tough monsters here. Thanks for being with me along the way."

"It's all right. By the way, I have to tell you something…"

"Yes? What is it?"

"I liked you, since the day you saved me in the culverts. And now, as I have known you more, I have loved you, and like you even more." The Swordswoman held the hands of the Sage.

"But I… I'm sorry. I love somebody else… I love Shane, and I don't want to hurt her. I'm sorry…" He quickly removed his hands from her grasp.

"Well, it's all right. As long as I have said my true feeling…" Pauline, in tears.

"I… I have to go…"

"Be careful." The Pauline said, and in tears she whispered _I love you, and I will wait for you…_

Weeks passed and the Sage finished his research. As he travelled back within the forests of Geffen, he saw Shane, with another man.

"Shane! Shane!" He shouted. Shane looked back.

"Who is he? What is he doing with you?" The Sage said, confused.

"I'm sorry but, he's my new love. And I love him more than you"

"What?" He shouted. Still confused, but with fury.

"Let me deal with this weakling." The man (a Hunter) said to Shane.

"No, let me deal with him." Shane was already a Wizard at that time. She started chanting her spells.

"Look, Shane! I don't want to hurt you! Don't force me to…"

"Please, just let me alone… With my love…"

The Sage had no other choice. He broke the Wizard's spell. He ran towards Shane, while casting his deadly bolt. However, Shane charged again.

"Soul Strike!!" The Sage was pushed back. He stood up again, ran, and cast again. He cast his quickest spell.

"Frost Diver!!" He cast with great fury and disappointment. Shane was damaged because of the spell but was not frozen. He ran towards Shane and hit her hard with his wand. In his blue aura he cast again, while hitting Shane with his wand to stop her from casting. The spell was released in the quickest time possible.

"Cold Bolt!!"

Shane lay critically damaged because of the furious ice bolts of the Sage. In anger, the Hunter took haste, grabbed two arrows and aimed the Sage.

"Double Strafe!!"

The Sage still stood up. With a low energy, he cast…

"Frost Diver!!"

The Hunter was critically damaged as well, but could still move. He held Shane, and warped away.

Pauline walked through the forests of Geffen. She was now a Crusader, and was still inspired by the Sage who once helped her. On the way, she saw the Sage lying, waiting for his death. Pauline held the Sage close to her.

"Pauline… Look at you now… You are now a Crusader… And me… Just waiting for my death…"

"No, please, don't speak…"

"She… She tricked me… I thought she love me but…" The Sage wailed in pain, and slowly, closed his eyes, and went to his eternal sleep. Pauline wept until she remembered something. She took out an Yggdrasil leaf, and cast.

"Resurrection!!"

She quickly healed the Sage when life came back to him. The Sage, still in the Crusader's lap, opened his eyes, and slowly stood up.

"Thank you so much. I could have been gone forever, if you did not come."

"I wouldn't let that happen… You know that I… I got to go" She picked up her shield and ran away.

After some time, the Sage was traveling in the fields of Juno when he saw Pauline again. He never forgot how Pauline saved his life, and realized that he had to move on, and find someone better, which is none other than Crusader Pauline.

Pauline sat in a flat stone. The Sage went near and sat with her.

"You know Pauline, I realized that it's time to move on…"

"Oh, really? I guess you're right…"

"And I think I'm falling over somebody… Somebody who can really give the love I need, the attention I need. The…" Pauline hugged him in tears.

"You know, I still love you. I waited for so long, and I'm still hoping for you to come…"

"I… I love you too, Pauline…" He clasped his arms around her.

"I have thought of this for a long time, and now I have decided. Pauline, would you still allow me to love you, after all that I did?"

"Yes… Haven't I told you? I love you!" Pauline said, smiling, still in the Sage's arms.

Both of them stood up. The Sage held Pauline's hand, and walked towards Juno.


	2. Chapter 2

Signum Crucis: The Story of a Priestess

In the vast fields of Prontera, Priestess Philia Felice was strolling in confusion. She was thinking of the Crusader she just saw inside the city of Prontera. The Crusader looked like much of Crono, the Crusader in shining armor whom she loved and waited for a long time. As she walked, she saw weary novices, struggling with Porings. Without hesitation, she cast a spell.

"Sanctuary!!"

Felice was about to cast another spell when a Sage stopped by and saw the priestess.

"Spell Breaker!!" And the spell vanished.

"Long time no see, Miss Felice!" It was Adrian, the Sage, with him was Crusader Pauline. "And looks like you haven't changed at all. You are still generous!"

"My apprentice!" Felice said in amazement. "And you're still a 'spell breaker.' Hmmm, who's that Crusader with you?"

"Yes, she is Crusader Pauline. A special someone." Adrian answered, as he held the hand of the armored Crusader amorously.

"Hey, since that we haven't got along for a long time, why don't you two have lunch with me?" The Priestess invited.

At the cafeteria, the three of them recalled their past adventures. Pauline knew more about the Sage as Felice talked.

"It reminds me of the day when you were stomped by a Mobster in Comodo."

"So you were a weakling then, baby?" Pauline, in a mocking tone and giggles.

"But of course! How would you trust a Mage then??" Adrian defended.

"Aw, don't be too cross, baby. I'm just kidding…" Pauline held the hands of Adrian to relieve him.

The three talked and laughed and reminisced as they ate their meal when Felice suddenly became uneasy when she saw a crusader through the cafeteria window, a crusader which looked like much of Crono.

"Sorry but I got to go." Felice said uneasily.

"But we haven't finished eating yet." Pauline said.

The priestess ran towards the doors of the cafeteria, leaving the two wondering. But when Adrian saw the Crusader, as he went away with his Peco-peco, he realized that his former sensei still loved the holy knight so much.

"Let me guess, she is in love with a Crusader? So both of you are in love with a crusader? How overwhelming…" Pauline said with a smile.

"Well, it's not about the job. It's about the person having that job. Like you…" Adrian placed his arms around the girl, ignoring the heavy armor plates in the girl's body.

Meanwhile, Felice pursued the Crusader. She convinced herself that it was Crono that she saw. In desperation she blessed herself with Increase Agility, hoping to chase the crusader as he took pace with his stead. But of ill luck, it _was not _Crono. In embarrassment, she walked away, and sat wearily beneath a tree and recalled the past.

Felice and Crono had been close in an adventurer's party. They would always stay in Glast Heim to blast off monsters. They supported each other so well that as time passed, the priestess fell in love with Crono. Felice told him of her feelings, but fate seemed to fail the priestess.

"I'm sorry Miss Felice, but I am in love with somebody else." Crono said.

"It's… It's all right… Maybe I could somehow wait…" Felice said in tears.

In this memory, the Priestess was startled. She never noticed that she fell asleep, and never noticed the tears that fell on her cheeks.

But alas, in the middle of her heavy emotion, a crazy rogue saw the Priestess and stepped on a dead branch, summoning an Owl Baron. The rogue ran away laughing, leaving Felice to face the creature.

"Magnus Exorcismus!!" The spell killed the hoards of Owl Dukes the Baron summoned. Enraged, the demon rushed towards the almost helpless priestess and was about to strike when a Crusader came, of Holy aura.

"Devotion!!" Crusader Crono came to save Felice.

"What are you doing there, Miss Felice? Cast!" Crono said to the dumbfounded priestess.

"Y-yes… In a moment… Magnus Exorcismus!!" Felice cast, in a trembling voice.

The Owl Baron was hit, but was still alive. Crono finished off the battle.

"Grand Cross!!"

With the holy strikes from the crusader the Owl puffed in smoke, leaving its loots. Crono picked up some and left some for Felice. In a trembling voice, Crono said his adieu.

"I got to go Miss Felice. There are more monsters to face."

"Th-thanks for helping me… But… Why go so soon?" Felice said.

Without any words, the Crusader grabbed the reins of his stead and went on his way. Frustrated, Felice warped herself to Glast Heim and blasted almost all of the monsters.

"Magnus Exorcismus!! Lex Divina!! Turn Undead!!"

After a moment, Felice became too tired and was about to take a few seconds rest when the people around the damned city cried in their fright.

"The Dark Lord!!" The people gathered around and tried to kill the demon off. Dark Lord, after shoving off the people pursuing it, went towards Felice and was about to strike when…

"Reflect Shield!!" Crono went in front of her with a shield on. With him was Cress Aldenite, the brother of the Priestess. Adrian and Pauline followed.

"Looks like we've got company." Adrian greeted.

"Need some refine, sir Crono?" Cress started. He then made his move.

"Power Maximize!! Power Thrust!! Weapon Perfection!!"

Adrian made his move as well. He put out a yellow and a blue gem, and cast.

"Land Protector!!"

"Stay here Miss Felice and regain your energy to help us finish the monster." Pauline said, while helping her towards the magic area made by the Sage.

Adrian, as the other three worked, found a better idea. He took his book and two yellow gemstones. After a moment, he exclaimed.

"Who said only priests can do this?" Adrian, in no time, cast.

"Lex Divina!!"

"Good work, Sage!" Crono exclaimed in hidden amazement as he wondered how the Sage adopted the skill.

"Maybe I can try another one." The Sage trusted his book, and found another spell. He cast again.

"Lex Aeterna!!"

Crono rushed towards the monster and was about to make his attack. But the monster was too fast. Crono was easily shoved away. He lay unconscious.

"Crono!" Felice shouted. She quickly made her move. As Adrian was preparing to unleash his Cold Bolt, she cast the powerful exorcising spell.

"Magnus Exorcismus!!"

With the Holy strikes of the spell and the ice bolts of the Sage, the Dark Lord was finished. Felice ran towards the unconscious crusader.

"Resurrection!!"

"Miss Felice!" Crono said in amazement. "Thank you for saving my life."

"No… It's you who saved me…" Felice said in tears.

"If I only have the courage to tell you this since before…"

"What is it Crono?"

"I… I love you too… I… I was too afraid to tell you… Because I have hurt you before…"

"But I… I still love you Crono… and I've waited for you…" They were both in tears, and Crono clasped his arms around the Priestess.

"Hey, hey, hey." Cress remarked. "Save the love scene for the moment. We have to escape from this place first."

The adventurers warped to their escape.


	3. Chapter 3

The Encounter in the Clock Tower

The adventurers then warped away from the doomed city of Glast Heim.

The sun was already setting when they reached Geffen. All of them were very weary as they walked inside the city. They then decided to stay in an inn for the night.

Early the next morning…

"Well then. Maybe it's time to depart again for a while. See you around," Felice said.

"See you around. Take care of yourselves…" Crusader Pauline said.

"Where do you plan to go, Sir Aldenite?" Sage Adrian asked.

"To Niffleheim… Well, we have to go," Blacksmith Aldenite replied.

The three adventurers departed. The Sage and the Crusader stayed in Geffen for a while when the Sage decided to go alone.

"I have to go alone again, Pauline… I have to practice my skills… I'm sorry if I have to leave you again…"

"No, I understand…" Pauline said, without looking at Adrian.

"I… I have to go…" Adrian was about to walk away when something inside him held back his steps. He rushed back to Pauline and hugged her tight. Pauline said no words and hugged the Sage back. They hugged tight, looked into one another's eyes, and kissed. Pauline pushed back the Sage lightly.

"Go… I'll miss you…" Pauline whispered.

The Sage said no words and went away.

The Sage made up his mind and went to the Clock Tower, an infrastructure in Al de Baran which was known to be the product of Juno's alchemists.

"Hmm… Adrian… Welcome to Clock Tower… Time to blast off Alarms…" Adrian whispered to himself. He entered the tower.

Within the thick crowd, an assassin watched over the Sage and quickly followed him.

Inside the Clock Tower, the Sage started casting his spells and killed the clock-like monsters. As he cast, Adrian felt that someone is following him.

"Firewall!!" Adrian cast, but no one is damaged. As he walked slowly, an Alarm attacked on him. He quickly dodged, and cast.

"Cold Bolt!!" Adrian cast. As the ice spears hit the Alarm, the Assassin uncloaked and attacked on the alarm.

"Sonic Blow!!"

The assassin landed critical hits on the Alarm. Adrian cast again.

"Fire Bolt!!" Fiery bolts of fire landed, killing the monster.

The Assassin stood, unclutched his weapon, and gazed on the Sage.

"Who are you? I know that you have been following me! What do you want?" Adrian shouted.

"Your spells and your damage are remarkable, but you have a very short temper… Won't you thank me for helping you? Too agressive" the Assassin sat and mocked the Sage.

"Why should I thank you?" the Sage charged, cast on the Assassin. The Assassin quickly warped. The Sage then cancelled the cast.

But, alas! The Assassin uncloaked from his back and almost whispered as he struck the Sage.

"Envenom!!"

"Frost Diver!!" The assassin flinched. He was not frozen, but stabbed with the icicles. He spoke in pain.

"I just need some company… I know that you're one of those who destroyed the Dark Lord. I was just hoping that you could help me…"

The sage stood uneasily as he listened to the assassin's words. He thought that the assassin should not have acted that way if he needed something. Despite of the thought, compassion drove him towards the flinching assassin and healed him.

"Thank you…" The Assassin said. The sage, still doubtful of the stranger, replied.

"You're not yet forgiven. You shall come with me."

The sage quickly warped himself and the assassin to the city.


	4. Chapter 4

The Threat

The sage stood in amazement with the stranger he just met in the Clock Tower as he saw something very familiar in the place. He thought he was supposed to be warped back in Al de Baran yet he was standing before the Great Book of Juno. Seconds later, he saw Felice and Cress warped before them, in complete bewilderment.

"What are we doing here?" Philia asked.

"Shouldn't I ask that?" Adrian replied.

"Adrian! What are you doing here?" Cress asked.

"I don't know."

"Why don't you ask the Book?" the assassin said. "I know it knows everything…"

Bright light shone from the Book, then a mighty voice of authority thundered.

"Silence! I summoned you to warn you from a very plight revenge from the Dark Lord."

"We finished the demon already," Adrian asked in amazement. "What should we fear?"

"Remember your battle between the Dark Lord? His defeat made him furious, thirsting for your blood and desiring for all the citizens of Rune-Midgard be wiped out. All have the power to defeat him, but it needs time. Sadly, in no time, Dark Lord will come back, ready for his revenge, and could mean an end to the unprepared citizens of the Kingdom. He is using misled citizens as his servants"

"What should we do?" Felice asked.

"You have the power to destroy him just as you destroyed him before. Watch out in every step you make."

The light vanished, leaving the adventurers in confusion.

"By the way I am Assassin Sparda…" the stranger introduced himself, breaking the silence of the three.

"Yes, nice to meet you," Felice greeted. "I know you could be of great help. Thanks Adrian for bringing him with us."

"Hey, I was not supposed to bring him with us! He has…"

"Oh come on, Adrian. Sparda, you're joining us in our party." Aldenite said.

"What???" Adrian became furious and charged flame towards the assassin when the priestess intervened.

"Hold back, please! Haven't you just heard what the book said? We have a mission! You better not act childish, Adrian!" Philia pleaded.

Adrian held back the spell, and remained silent for a while.

"Well then, we better…"

"GO!" The Assassin exclaimed.


	5. Chapter 5

Destroy the Mad Alchemist!

The adventurers camped for the night in the forest within the span of Prontera. The night was well, and everyone was sound asleep, when Adrian was startled. His companions were awakened as well.

"I dreamed of something terrible. Juno was under attack. Monsters swarmed the place as if it is their own."

"Could this be true?" Felice asked.

"We better do something…"

The adventurers reached the place. Everything is in chaos. All the people tried to kill off the monsters, but they failed. They attacked the monsters and have some of them killed off. Moments later, they disappeared. Felice cast Sanctuary on the area. Adrian then inquired about what happened.

"Rumors say that these attacks are caused by the mad alchemist living in complete seclusion just within the span of Juno." a resident explained.

"Who could be _that _alchemist? What's his purpose?" Adrian wondered.

"No one knows…"

"_I _know…" An alchemist exclaimed.

"You know?" Adrian asked.

"I sure do. This alchemist who summoned all of these hideous creatures has got his screws off."

"What do you mean?"

"He's a mad guy!"

"How come?"

"Well… He's got his loved ones all killed by accident. He is mixing chemicals on his laboratory when he suddenly summoned a monster and devoured all of his family except him."

"How pathetic…"

"Now he is living in complete seclusion… No one knows where this alchemist exactly lived, but he is too much feared by people around here. He can summon deadly monsters and keep them alive in spite of attacks on them."

"How scary…" Philia whispered.

"Hmp! Whoever he is, I'm gonna break his neck in stealth" Sparda boasted.

The lady alchemist ignored the assassin and looked at the sage "You better be careful, because he might appear any moment from now."

The adventurers managed to stay in for a night, yet in complete vigilance. They watched very closely for any single attack that may come. Suddenly, they heared people screaming, and within the scream, a laugh that sounds like a mad man's laugh, echoed.

"The alchemist! The mad alchemist!" Adrian exclaimed.

"He is," the lady alchemist whose name was Dane said. "We better get ready."

The adventurers geared up and faced the enemy. Philia, Aldenite, and Sparda faced the monsters and Adrian and Dane faced the mad alchemist.

"You're a shame to the guild, mad man!" Dane shouted.

"Oh? Hahahahahahahahahaha! So you two are going to try me, huh? Watch!!!"

The mad alchemist threw a fire bottle on the ground, creating an inferno between the adventurers and the mad alchemist. Adrian tried to put the fire out with his ground spell.

"We can get him…" Adrian said to Dane, "Now watch us!!"

"Land Protector!!"

"Oh? An extinguisher huh? That won't work!" the alchemist threw an acid bottle towards Dane. Quickly, Adrian cast on the bottle and frozen it.

"Thanks…" Dane said.

"No time to waste… We better finish him off…"

Adrian cast on the alchemist. However, he blocked the magic and summoned a monster to catch it.

"Oh no… Wrong target…"

"Let me handle this…" Dane summoned her own monster and launched the summoned creatures into battle. "Go and finish him with your spell!"

"Okay! Here we go!"

Adrian cast on.

"Cold Bolt!!"

The magic was once again blocked by alchemy.

"Where's your magic?! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! IT'S USELESS!!"

Adrian was seized by the monster, yet he tried to kill it off. Sparda, seeing this, went to the alchemist in stealth, stole his alchemy items, and poisoned him.

"I got it!" Sparda shouted on Adrian, "Kill this mad man off!"

After dealing with the monster, Adrian locked on his target to the mad alchemist and quickly cast.

"Frost Driver!!"

"And a success!! Go for a combo!!" Dane shouted.

"Yes! Watch!" Adrian chanted the spell as he raised his glowing Arc Wand up. A bright aura shone around the Sage before he unleashed the final blow.

"Lighning Bolt!!"

The mad alchemist was killed off with the lightning shots, smoked dead. Suddenly, all of his summoned monsters disappeared. His cadaver disappeared as well and dispersed as a black cloud.

"Dark Lord's servant…" Felice trembled.

"Saying something Miss Felice?" Adrian asked.

"No… Nothing important…"

"Oh well, thank you for helping us destroy that mad man… We can all now live in peace." Dane reached out for the sage's hand.

"We're really glad that we helped," Adrian reached the alchemist's hand as well and shook it. "And we'll always be ready to come when needed."

"Well… I think we can stay here for a while and help you rebuild the city." Aldenite said when Felice suddenly fell on her knees.

"What's going on, Miss Felice?" Sparda asked. "Are you alright?"

"PRONTERA IS DESTROYED!" Philia shrieked.


	6. Chapter 6

Give Her Back to Me!

The people in Juno spoke in hushed tones as they saw the weeping priestess.

"This can't be!"

"We must do something!" Aldenite exclaimed.

"Then let's go!" Adrian said.

"I'll go with you." Dane, the alchemist, said.

The adventurers then warped to the bloody city.

The city was haunted when they came. Monsters still swarmed the city. The Prontera chivalry still held on, but only a few of them. The Holy Crusaders of Odin-Baldur helped as well, but like their fellow knights, only a few of them remained alive.

"No time to waste! Help the Chivalry" Felice uproared. She healed and buffed up with her Blessing the wounded Knights and Crusaders, and her companions.

The adventurers killed off the monsters but it kept spamming the city.

"I'm tired… They kept on increasing numbers…" Adrian sighed as he knelt and held on his Arc Wand.

"Let me handle this…" Felice said, then cast.

"Magnus Exorcismus!!"

The demons were destroyed, but seconds passed and it spammed again. Adrian cast on spells but the monsters kept on reviving.

"It's no use…" Adrian sighed.

"I'm getting tired." Sparda exclaimed.

Suddenly, Shane appeared from a dark cloud, laughing in evil tone, as if she is not in her own self.

"Weaklings! Can't you just destroy them in one blow? Hahahahahahahaha!" Shane mocked the adventurers.

"Shane?" Adrian exclaimed.

"Whoa! My _lover_! Hahahahahahaha! Did you miss me? Did you? Hahahaha! Let's stop this nonsense! Watch me!"

The mad wizard, in her torn cape, stood in the middle of the monsters and cast.

"Storm Gust!! Meteor Storm!! Lord of Vermillion!!"

As the monsters spammed, she cast on and cast on until the monsters were swept out.

The astonished adventurers held on, while watching the mad wizard.

"Now it's your turn!" Shane shouted insanely.

"No, you can't!" Adrian, quickly cast on Land Protector around his comrades. Aldenite quickly made his move but was caught by the lightning sphere of the wizard.

"Jupiter Thunder!!"

Sparda walked in stealth and was about to strike when the wizard hurled her Sightrasher. Sparda fell on the ground, damaged. In no time, Philia exorcised the mad wizard.

"Lex Divina!!"

"Our turn!" Adrian exclaimed. "Stand up, guys!"

Aldenite, Adrian and Sparda charged against the helpless wizard. She was unable to use her spells for a while because of Felice.

The wizard fell on her knees with unmeasurable fury.

"You cannot continue with your journey! You cannot make it! You can never lay your hands against my master again!"

"The Dark Lord?" Adrian asked.

The mad wizard looked at the sage.

"Oh YES! I CAN USE YOU! Or shall I say, SOMEONE SPECIAL!" Shane then warped Crusader Pauline in their presence.

"Pauline!" Adrian exclaimed.

"Oh, no… She's no longer your mistress anymore, Mr. Sage! She's now my servant!" Devilish laugh echoed the sage's ears.

"She's mine!" Adrian shouted then charged against the wizard, but Pauline defended the wizard and attacked the Sage. Adrian was shocked of what he saw. Pauline is going to _kill him!_

"What are you doing? Don't you remember me?" Adrian said, but the Crusader never listened and was about to attack Adrian again. Felice then cast on Adrian a protective spell.

"Kyrie Eleison!!" The sword of Pauline clanged on the barrier, but was quickly dispersed. Adrian ran on his safety. Pauline pursued her target. Aldenite then made his move.

"She's no longer yours. Look at her eyes," Aldenite said to Adrian. "Hammerfall!!"

The Crusader was stunned. Dane gave Adrian a bottle of blue potion.

"She's not Pauline anymore!" Adrian wept.

"What are you planning to do now?" Dane asked.

"What I _must_ do. She must not stop me." Adrian wiped his tears, threw all his emotion away, and launched. Pauline charged as well.

The sword of the Crusader was about to slash the Sage and the spell of the Sage was about to strike the Crusader…

"Successful…" Adrian whispered, but gnashed his teeth because of the painful slash in his abdomen. He flinched and with his remaining power, he cast on. Philia cast on Lex Aeterna on the frozen crusader.

"Lighning Bolt!!"

The lighning struck the ice, electrocuting the crusader dead. The sage quickly ran towards the mad wizard, furious of what had happened.

The adventurers were about to strike but disappeared, as she shouted. "There are more to come! You are going to pay for this!!"

Adrian went to the Crusader, fell on his knees, and wept.

"I… did… not… mean to do this…" Adrian said. The body of the crusader was suddenly swallowed up in a dark cloud and disappeared.


	7. Chapter 7

Revenge

It was a humid night as the adventurers stayed in an inn at Prontera. All but Adrian was awake, grasping on his Arc Wand, thinking deeply. The room where he stayed was dark. Lights from the street shone in through the window, illuminating the blank face of the Sage. It was already past midnight, yet he cannot sleep. Thoughts about Pauline the Crusader ran through his head. He never expected that they would end up killing each other. He never expected such Holy warrior to become a mad wizard's ally. He was confused.

He stared through the glass window, blankly, and then held his wand tight. He wore his Mage hat and his phantom mask on. He was about to leave the inn when he heard a voice.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sparda said, "It's very late."

"Can't sleep," Adrian said, staring blankly on the closed door of the inn. "Just want to blast monsters off for a while."

"Want to blast off monsters?" Sparda asked. Adrian nodded, and was about to leave.

"I had a vision," Sparda said, "and I saw my master, almost killed by a huntress."

Adrian looked back on the assassin. He felt Sparda trembling as he said what he had seen. The assassin stared on the sage, yet shows fury on his eyes.

"Who could be that huntress?" Adrian said, seemed to be eager to listen.

"I don't know," Sparda said. "That's why I'm still awake. I was about to go to Morocc when I saw you leaving."

The two never said a word and left for Morocc.

The two arrived by dawn. Sparda quickly went to his master to see him. The master was quite well now, yet the wounds in his body made him wince as he tried to stand up as he saw his visitors.

"Master," Sparda said, "What happened to you? Who made this?"

"I could see no one but the granddaughter of my lost friend," the master said. Adrian stood behind, looking elsewhere, yet his ears were open.

"You haven't told me about this, master," Sparda said.

"He was my friend during my early days," the master said, "We have been hunting down monsters together with his granddaughter. We have got along well until…"

"Until what?" Sparda asked.

"Until something controlled him. Seem to be a dark force."

Adrian was startled of what he heard. The master then continued his story.

"And then?" Sparda said.

"His eyes glowed, challenged me in a battle, and almost killed me. I made my move, yet I have to take his life to save mine."

"What about the granddaughter?"

"She saw everything, and ran away. She didn't know why I have done such thing."

"That's why she wanted you dead, I guess," Adrian intervened.

"Yes," the master said.

"Then we have to find her," Sparda said, eyes burning in anger, "Let's go."

The two adventurers walked across the desert, looking for clues. Sweat dripped in the face of Adrian. Sparda was determined to search for clues. Adrian and Sparda walked on by until the sage saw something.

"Blood," Adrian knelt to observe when Sparda saw an arrow coming towards the Sage. The Assassin caught the arrow.

"Whew! Thanks!" Adrian said.

"Look," Sparda said, "The arrow is drenched in blood."

"A warning," Adrian said, when he saw monsters coming, "Look, the monsters are coming!"

"A challenge," Sparda said, "Can you handle the monsters yourself?"

"Yes, I can. Why, did you see something?" Adrian asked.

"Someone. I just saw the huntress," Sparda said, then quickly chased the huntress.

The huntress ran as the assassin chased him. However, the huntress was trapped in a cliff. Sparda walked slowly towards the huntress. The huntress watched over her steps as she moved backwards. Sweat dripped in her face, as she tried to find ways to escape the blades of the assassin.

"Guess you have no escape," Sparda said. He was about to run towards the huntress when her falcon attacked him. The huntress quickly made a shot towards the assassin and jumped over the cliff.

"Crap!" Sparda thought, as he winced in pain as he removed the arrow from his arm.

The huntress jumped over the cliff. She walked on easy, not knowing that the sage was casting his spell towards her.

"Frost Diver!!" The huntress was frozen. Sparda jumped over the cliff when he heard his ally down the cliff.

"Good job," Sparda said, "Finish her off."

"No," Adrian said, "We still have questions to ask her. I'll just make her sleep."

The sage cast a lightning bolt over the frozen huntress.

The huntress woke up in front of the adventurers. She was tightly bound.

"Isn't it good that you're still alive?" Sparda asked, "Now tell me, why did you try to kill us?"

"Because you are my enemies! Your master killed my grampa!" The huntress said, talking childishly.

"Do you think my master has no reason to kill your grampa? Your grampa tried to kill my master!"

"That's not true!" The huntress shouted in rage.

"The Dark Lord controlled your grampa!" Adrian said.

"You're… You two! I must kill the two of you!" The huntress raged, trying to escape from the tight bound. The eyes of the raging huntress glowed. The ropes around her untied. The Assassin stabbed the huntress. At the same time Adrian quickly cast his spell on the raging huntress.

"Cold Bolt!!"

The huntress lay dead in front of the adventurers.

"I killed another life…" Adrian said, seemed to be guilty of what he did.

"If that's what is right," Sparda said. "The situation asks for it."

The two saw how the cadaver was consumed by a dark cloud. When Adrian saw this, thoughts flashed back in his mind. He saw how he killed Pauline. He heard the crusader pleading for her life. He thought how he finished off the life of his love. He thought how the wizard brought the crusader in front of them, how the crusader was controlled, and how the crusader tried to kill him. He saw Pauline in the huntress, and how she was controlled by dark powers. Anger burned inside the Sage. He held his Arc Wand tight.

"Let's go back to Prontera, Sparda," Adrian said, without looking back to Sparda.

"All right. They might be looking for us." Sparda replied.

Adrian and Sparda were dead silent as they walked towards the city.


	8. Chapter 8

Alchemy Bind

Rain was pouring heavily on the whole kingdom. Adrian stood alone in the highlands of Juno. Water flowed like a stream on his face, his eyes blank. He stood still, his right hand hoding on his Arc Wand in front of him, with his left hand before the staff. Goats were about to charge him, their eyes gleaming, snorting.

"Deluge!!"

The water rose on Adrian's knees. He stood still until the Goats charged. He quickly dodged and cast icicle spears on them, leaving the monsters dead. Another herd charged against him and continued killing the goats when Dane the Alchemist came in.

"What are you doing?" Dane asked, "You're gonna catch cold if you continue. Come on, let's go home."

The Sage never said a word, but the Alchemist persisted, "Hey, I'm waiting here. You're gonna get sick if you don't listen. Come on…"

The Sage cast a large spear of ice from the sky in front of the alchemist.

"If you want to go home then go home," Adrian said, "In the first place, I didn't ask you to be with me."

"No… I'll stay…" The Alchemist insisted. The Sage made no answer and continued attacking herds of monsters. Dane continued to watch by the Sage when she noticed something wrong about Adrian. The Sage could no longer dodge the monsters. After killing the last monster down, Adrian stood still, but felt his knees weak, and fainted. Dane quickly ran to the fainted Sage and placed his head on her lap. She touched the Sage's face.

"Fever…" Dane spoke to herself. She tried her best to carry the Sage to her cart and warped back to Juno.

Few days later, Adrian found himself lying on the bed. He found Dane sleeping on a chair. He watched the alchemist as she slept. For the first time, he was amazed with the alchemist.

"How beautiful…" He thought. His thoughts disappeared and moved his eyes across the room when she moved and woke up.

"Hey, are you feeling fine?" Dane said as she came near, touching the Sage's face. Adrian touched his face as well, and almost held the hand of the Alchemist.

"Ye-yes… I… I'm feeling better…" The Sage blushed when he almost held Dane's hand, "Thank you so much."

"If you haven't been stubborn that rainy day you couldn't have ended up sick," Dane said, sitting on the bedside.

"I know, I'm sorry…" The Sage said, "How many days have I been unconscious?"

"Four days…" Dane replied, "Umm, I'll bring you some breakfast?"

"No, thanks… I think I can get some by myself. Umm, perhaps you can come with me instead?" Adrian said, looking in the eyes of the Alchemist.

Days passed and the Sage and the Alchemist got close. They would always travel and hunt with Sparda. The Assassin noticed the chemistry of the two; thus, he would always find a way to leave the two alone. However, he couldn't escape from the powers of the two. If he would not be bitten by a Geographer in his feet, he would frozen by the Sage. One time…

"Hey dagger freak… Have you seen Dane?" Adrian asked Sparda.

"Naw… I didn't see her…"

"Well," The Sage turned pale and uneasy, "I'm going to find her… I'll tell her something…"

Adrian went out of the inn, and saw Dane on the city square. He ran towards the Alchemist, but Dane ran away upon seeing the Sage.

"Hey!" The Sage shouted towards the Alchemist, "Where are you going? Wait for me!"

The Sage chased the Alchemist. Dane continued running away, stopped for a while, and grew some Geographer on the ground. Adrian did not notice the man-eater plants and was bitten in the legs. He moved back limping and set the Geographers on fire.

"Firewall!! Firebolt!!"

The Sage continued to run for Dane, but she continuously planted on man-eaters. The Sage overtook the Alchemist after she fell short of Plant Bottles. Panting, the Sage held his knees and stood up, looking at the Alchemist's eyes.

"Where are you going? Why are you running away from me? Have I done something wrong?"

The Alchemist held the gaze of the Sage until tears swelled in her eyes. The Sage came closer to Dane and gave her a warm, comforting hug.  
"Shh… What's wrong? Stop crying please… I couldn't stand seeing you sad. If you only knew how special you are now to me…"

"Adrian, I'm afraid… I'm afraid to fall again for somebody but I… I can't help but…" Dane said in tears as she held on to Adrian tight.

"Oh, Dane… You saved my life for many times now. You changed me. You took away all my sorrows… You made me whole again…" Adrian said, looking at Dane's eyes, "Now I'm really sure that I love you… Dane, I love you so much…"

"Adrian, you… you also made my life whole again… How can I ever live without you? No words could tell what I feel but, I am so happy that you came into my life," Dane said, gazing at the Sage's eyes.

The two did not say a word anymore, and hugged tight and warm, letting only their hearts speak.


	9. Chapter 9

Sacrifice

Adrian and Dane hugged tight as if there will be no tomorrow until the Sage held the arms of the Alchemist, looked into her eyes, and walked her back to the city. They walked on until Adrian felt uneasy. He sensed dark powers around him. He held Dane back.

"Wait," Adrian said. "There's something strange." He cast Sight and was shocked of what he saw before him.

"Shane?!" The Sage trembled. The wizard has been more evil. Darkness emanates from the Dark Wizard.

"Yes. At your service! It seems that none of you guardians will ever learn! You cannot stop Dark Lord from his plans! You're only making yourselves suffer!"

"Neither death nor even a weak like you can stop us!"

"Let's see!" The furious wizard cast dark spheres of Jupiter Thunder towards the Sage, yet the spells are caught by his Wand.

"Magic Rod!!" The Sage continued to absorb the spells until he slowly felt weak. It seems that the dark powers from the spheres consumed the Sage slowly.

"So what's going on with the Sage?!" Shane mocked. Adrian fell on his knees, but still held on to his wand, countering the spells. The wizard stopped casting the spheres when she saw Adrian exhausted.

"How sad," the Dark Wizard said. "I think this would be the perfect time to finish the two of you!"

The ground shook. Above the sky the Sage saw a massive ball of fire ready to strike. He could no longer break the spell with his remaining energy. All he could do is to push the Alchemist away from the ring.

"Move back!" Adrian shouted, as he pushed the alchemist away. The Dark Wizard, with her arms up in the ball of fire, charged the spell.

"Meteor Storm!!"

The Sage saw a bright light before him until suddenly, he couldn't see anything, nor could feel anything.

Seeing the Sage on the ground, exhausted of life and energy, the Alchemist couldn't do anything but to cry.

"ADRIAN!!!!"

The wizard, seemed to be happy of what happened, laughed devilishly.

"That ends up the life of a guardian! Hahahahahahahaha! Now you, alchemist," the Dark wizard looked at the alchemist. "I'll be finishing you off as well!"

The wizard was about to charge a dark sphere when Sparda came and stabbed the Wizard stealthly. Furious, the wizard cast the spell on the Assassin instead.

"Well, well, well," Shane said excitedly. "Another Guardian to finish!"

Suddenly, a holy aura shone before them. A Crusader, whom Sparda and Adrian know well, stood before them, in a holy armor, blessed with Divine Might. Sparda, to his surprise, stared at the Crusader.

"You.. You're alive?"

"Greetings, Sparda," It was Crusader PAULINE. Quickly, she drew her sword and pointed it at the Dark Wizard. "Better make this quick, or it will be too late for Adrian."

Hearing this, Sparda clutched on his daggers, took a bottle of concentration potion, and charged against the fiendish wizard.

Meanwhile, Dane carried the Sage towards the tree. She had the Sage lying on her lap. The Alchemist tried to revive the Sage with an Yggdrasil Leaf, but the leaf was only consumed. The Sage was still unconscious.

"Come on," the Alchemist uttered with tears flowing like a river. "Adrian, wake up, please…"

Back at the battle, the wizard was proven matchless from the two. On her knees, she shouted in despair.

"I… I shall come back to finish all of you!" The wizard suddenly disappeared after laughing fiendishly. Quickly, Sparda and Pauline ran towards the Sage.

"He's no longer breathing," Dane said, weeping. "Let's bring him back home please…"

Back at the city, Felice the priestess tried to resurrect the spellcaster, but her powers were only consumed. Adrian was not revived. Dane could not do anything but cry. Pauline comforted the Alchemist.

"I think we need to consult the Great Book of Ymir. It may have the answers," Felice suggested. "We better do it quick. He may be gone few moments from now…"

"Please, find it now!" Dane shouted in desparation. Pauline calmed down the Alchemist.

Cress came back from the Book and told the adventurers what must be done.

"The powers of the Alchemist must be sacrificed and the holy powers from you, Pauline and Felice shall support the power."

"I'll do it," Dane said, as she wiped her tears. "Just to save him…"

A few moments, the three placed their hands before the Sage. They exerted all the powers they had, especially Dane, until a dark spirit was expelled from the Sage's body.

"I think it worked," Felice said. "He'll wake up soon." The Sage slowly opened his eyes and sat up.

"What happened?" The Sage asked. He saw Pauline and was about to ask how she came back when he saw Dane, with a broken smile, fallen on her knees. Adrian jumped off his bed and ran for the Alchemist.

"Dane! Dane! Are you alright?" The Sage said.

"Yes… You're alive…" Dane uttered, as she touched the face of the Sage. "I gave up all my power to save you…"

"What?" Adrian said. "You don't have to do it… Look what happened to you…" The Sage held close the Alchemist.

"I shall go back to Juno to bring my powers back…" The Alchemist whispered. "But it will take a long time…"

"Shh… I'll bring you back to Juno, if that's what you need."

Sparda and Adrian were hunting at a distant forest while Felice and Cress were finishing a task at Lighthalzen. Crusader Pauline went her way alone, but promised to be around when they need her. The two adventurers became tired and sat for a while.

"Hey, warlock," the Assassin said to Adrian. "Are you sure it will be all right for you without that Alchemist with you?"

"She needs concentration, dagger-freak," Adrian answered back. "I don't want to disturb her."

"You love her, don't you?"

"No doubt about it. Hey, how did Pauline come back?"

"I don't know. Why not ask her?"

"Oh, well. Never mind… Come on, let's crack some monster skulls…"

The two stood up and killed off monsters when a signal from Cress stopped them.


	10. Chapter 10

Darkness Descends

Silence dominated between Adrian and Sparda when they felt Cress calling them. It was not an emergency call but something was forcing them to follow the blacksmith and the priestess at Lighthalzen, the capitalist city of the Republic of Schwartzvald. Aboard the airship, the two adventurers talked about the city they were heading to.

"I don't really know what's with that city." Sparda said.

"Me neither," Adrian replied, with his eyes scanning the airship. "But I can see that it is another product of the geniuses dwelling in Juno, where _I _came from."

"Your head's blowing up again, warlock," Sparda replied, vexed with the Sage's arrogance. "Who knows, maybe that city of _yours _is a hoard of technological malfunctions and alchemy failures."

"Maybe," Adrian said, astonished of what the Assassin said. "Maybe that's why Cress called us up."

"It's going to be fun, crushing reject robots into junk."

At the airport lobby, the blacksmith and the priestess met them. Adrian sensed a tone of excitement in the blacksmith's words as he described what he just got.

"A Laboratory Pass? For what?" Adrian asked.

"Shh… Not too loud… I just got this from a fellow in the outskirts of this city." Cress replied, as he looked around and feared that somebody might have heard them.

"It's illegal but," Felice said. "I can feel there is something about the laboratory Rekenber Corporation has built."

"Ghosts?" Sparda asked.

"Maybe not," Adrian said. "I want to get myself one of those laboratory passes."

Cress and Felice led the two to a certain part of the city which led to the poverty-drenched outskirts of Lighthalzen. It was guarded by a man with a saber in his belt. Felice asked Sparda to talk to the guard.

"Just keep him busy so we can pass."

"But what about me?" Sparda said.

"Just follow us right after," Cress said. "Go on, there's no time to waste."

Sparda, after a few more convincing talks, gave in. He talked to the guard as the other three walked inside the area. But when the Assassin was about to follow his companions, he was stopped.

"Sorry sir." The Guard said as he blocked the assassin. "Adventurers are not allowed to go inside."

"But my friends are…." Sparda forced himself in but he controlled himself and thought of a better idea to sneak past the guard.

After some time, Adrian has successfully acquired his own laboratory pass. He was about to go back inside the city when Felice stopped the Sage.

"Wait," the priestess said. "We're not supposed to go back in the city."

"Why?" Adrian said, wondering. "We're going to a laboratory, right?"

"Yes but not inside the city," Cress said, smiling. "We are going through _that _sewer."

"A _sewer_??" Adrian was astonished of what he heard.

"A sewer, indeed!" Felice said. "The guy who helped you in getting your pass should have told you."

"Oh well," Adrian said. "Have you got any deodorant in your cart, Cress?"

Inside the laboratory, the three walked with their heads switching in almost all directions. They were very watchful, fearing that a monster might take on them. Adrian felt relaxed when he saw a magician.

"Look, a magician!" Adrian said as he drew near the mage.

"Wait, it's no mage!" Cress ran towards his fellow and struck the magician, who blocked the axe with his wand. "Don't be too friendly!"

"A Homunculus?!" Adrian exclaimed. He wasted no time and cast spells on the monster. It took them long to finish the homunculus.

"Be extra careful," Felice said. "Everything here is powerful than us."

"So that's the reason why you summoned us here," Adrian said. "Wait, where's that assassin?"

Back at the sewer pipe, Sparda was thinking twice before he moved in. Like Adrian, he has acquired his own laboratory pass. However, he was bewildered to find out that he needed to enter the lab through the sewer pipe.

"Stinks to death…" the Assassin thought. He placed the covering on his face and struggled through the pipe.

The three adventurers battled with the godlike homunculi. Adrian thought that Sparda was right. The city was indeed a hoard of experimental failures and the worse thing was that the monsters were powerful than he imagined.

"What could have happened to that dagger-freak?" Adrian said. "If we are struggling this hard just to ward off these homunculi then he could be…"

Sparda walked on inside the laboratory carefully just like his companions. He saw a thief, unwary that it was a homunculus. He drew closer and the monster struck him with its dagger. Sparda tried to fight back but he flinched. The thief was about to finish Sparda when a dark sphere of lightning hit the thief dead. The assassin struggled to see who helped him. It was the Dark Wizard.

"What are you…?" Sparda was enraged but kept flinching. He cursed the Dark Wizard as she came closer. "Don't come any closer!"

"Why…" Shane spoke. The Wizard has fully changed. Evil consumed her body that half of her skull was already showing. She floated in a fiendish aura. "Your friends have left you. I'm sure they don't care about you anymore."

"No!" Sparda struggled. The Wizard drew near, giving her hand to the assassin.

"Come with me," Shane said convincingly. "And I'll show you true power. Serve the Dark Lord…"

Sparda fought the temptation he felt as Shane showed him what he could have. He kept cursing the Wizard.

"Your friends are no more. They have left you alone. Come…" The Wizard kept insisting the Assassin.

"No! I'll… not… go… with… you…" Sparda said. He lost control with himself. He felt darkness consuming his spirit. His eyes became of evil.

"For the Dark Lord…" Sparda stood up as he felt power running in his veins. Darkness emanated from him like the Dark Wizard. They were about to warp away when someone called on his name.

"Sparda!" Adrian shouted to him as he ran closer to the Assassin. "I thought you were…"

He was dumbfounded as he saw Shane the Dark Wizard standing beside his friend. His heartbeat ran faster when he felt the darkness in Sparda.

"Dagger-freak! Stay away from that demon! Come on!" Adrian shouted. Sweat ran in his face. He clutched his wand hard.

"Sorry sage," the Dark Wizard said in mocking tone. "He's no longer your friend. I got him…"

"What the…" Adrian raised his Arc Wand up and cast towards the Wizard. The caped fiend was damaged. The Assassin ran towards the Sage and stabbed him. Felice ran quickly to help their companion. Sparda rushed back to the Wizard's side.

"See," the Wizard mocked. "He's no longer yours. Your friend is now Dark Lord's servant." Devilish laugh echoed the laboratory before Shane and Sparda was cloaked in a dark cloud and vanished. Adrian gaped as his friend was consumed by darkness.

"Now that Dark Lord has got Sparda!" Cress cursed as he ran near the dumbfounded sage. "We must stop that demon as soon as possible!"

Adrian stood up and clutched his wand very hard. He fixed his hat and walked away from the two. Fury burned inside the Sage and with one blow he shattered an unwary, looting Metalling into flaming pieces.


	11. Chapter 11

Tempest

Dark clouds gathered above Lighthalzen as the adventurers went out of the laboratory. The grayish hue of the clouds seemed to warn everyone in the Republic of a heavy storm. People zoomed in steps, wanting to avoid the sky's wrath.

Despite the people's haste around them and the trembling voices around them, the adventurers still thought of their lost friend. Deep sighs emanated from them, especially from Adrian, as they walked slowly in the city's paved ground. Cress Aldenite broke the silence, gripping his mace (a golden Grand Cross) hard.

"This is a warning to all of us," Cress exclaimed. "We should finish that Dark Wizard and crush her master as soon as possible."

"But how?" Felice said. She tried to fix her hair with one hand as the strong gust of wind blew it up and continued. "Where should we find them?"

"Questions, Questions!" Adrian lost control. He placed his hands above his head and walked a few steps away from the Priestess and Blacksmith. "Can't we just do it?! We have powers! We will finish that bitch and that fiend RIGHT NOW! I wouldn't let them use my friend like that!"

Cress and Felice were dumbfounded with the Sage's reaction. They haven't seen their companion enraged. Cress tried to be calm as he can.

"I know how you feel, Adrian. But we shouldn't act recklessly. If we want Sparda's safety, then we should have a plan before moving. That is, if you really want to save him."

"Then what are you trying to say right now?" Adrian's eyes met Aldenite's. He walked closer, grabbed the blacksmith's white collar and continued. "You're trying to say that I want Sparda dead?! Is that it MR. BLACKSMITH??"

"It's not what I'm trying to say, Mr. know-it-all!" Aldenite pushed the Sage hard. The forceful shove of the blacksmith threw the Sage a foot away from the blacksmith. The enraged blacksmith drew closer and pulled the Sage up in collar.

"Wake up, Mr. Adrian. Think before you move, idiot!" The blacksmith was about to land his heavy right fist on the Sage when Felice tried to control her brother.

"Please, don't. Calm down…" Felice whispered in tears, her face downcast. People around them stopped and looked at the scene. Discreet voices hushed within the gathering crowd. Aldenite loosened his grip of the Sage. Adrian pushed the Blacksmith.

"I am not forcing you to come with me and find my friend," Adrian said as he fixed his Wizardry hat and picked his Arc Wand. "I'm leaving…"

"Wait, please…" Felice reached out her hand for the leaving Sage. Adrian made his last gaze at his companions then walked away.

"Let him go, if that's what he wants," Aldenite said. By then the clouds became darker. Drops of water fell from the clouds. "I'm sure he's going back… He doesn't know what he's doing."

Adrian ignored the heavy rain soaking his robe. Though he was still thinking of the argument between him and Cress Aldenite, his ego drove his feet towards Glast Heim. He stood in front of the thick walls of the doomed city, cast the blue Deluge spell out of a yellow gemstone, and shouted hard.

"Shane! Get out of that city, you bitch! Face me!" Adrian pointed his Arc Wand towards the city walls. The rain fell harder. He heard no response.

"You bitch! Get out of there!" Lightning struck overhead, illuminating the reddish-gray sky of the rainy night. Adrian saw a figure standing in front of the city walls. He trembled as he identified the figure standing in darkness. It was Sparda.

"Sparda! Don't be stupid! Come back to us!" The Assassin did not respond. The Sage shouted again.

"Sparda! Come on!" The figure of the Assassin suddenly disappeared from the Sage's sight. He quickly cast a fireball around him. He saw Sparda on his side with his dagger driving towards him. He dodged and tried to freeze the Assassin but failed. Sparda pursued the Sage, throwing strikes with his dagger. Adrian continued to block the attacks with his Wand. He tried hard not to hurt his friend with his spells.

"Stop this nonsense!" Adrian said. He continued to dodge and block but the dagger still struck the Sage in his blind spot. He had no other choice. He hurled his water spell.

"Cold Bolt!!" The Assassin fell on his face as the bolts hit him. He disappeared suddenly.

Adrian held on his wound as he stood before the walls of Glast Heim. He struggled to go into the city but his body suddenly felt numb. His vision blurred. He made a few more steps and fell on the ground.


	12. Chapter 12

Lost

The dark, rainy sky continuously hovered over the doomed Glast Heim. Sage Adrian, with his despair ego to save his friend, laid soaked on the seemingly flooded earth. Thoughts of hopelessness flashed on his subconscious... then sudden blankness.

Across the drenched grassland overlooking the city ruins, a lady Sage stood in the shadows and saw the clash. Seeing that a fellow sage needs help, the lady – behold, the godly beauty, the stunning disposition, the Minerva of Juno's prestigious Sage Academy - ran hurriedly towards the sage and warped to nowhere.

_I never thought that the sun would still rise for us,_ Felice wearily thought. Last night's storm meant a new way for children to play outdoors: pools of water were all over the city of Geffen. Other magicians, probably plebes from the Magic Academy, played basic spells with the artificial swamps over the worn concrete of the city. The new day spelled fun for others, but for Priestess Felice and Blacksmith Aldenite, it was a day for a noble task: to search for their lost friends.

"Where do you think we should start?" Aldenite asked, as he strapped on his boots.

Felice was still bothered that her psyche seemed to be in complete trouble. "In the woods, perhaps..."

_How can we possibly search the whole forest?_ Aldenite thought logically despite the pressing moment, yet he felt how troubled his sister was, and just to ease things he responded nothing. A_lright, just for the sake of silence._

The lushful greens of the woods still held last night's tears of tempest, glaring the two with the sparkling droplets of rain on their rich foliages. Nevertheless, this hopeful sight of beauty does not seem to interfere the adventurers' heavy laden emotions. Eagerly, they tried to search every possible spot, expecting to see someone familiar and _important_ to them.

"There's no sight of them, Felice..." Aldenite exclaimed, "I think we should...""No," Felice said with an air of authority. "We'll find them as long as I can..."Aldenite was almost provoked by his sister's determination, but was eventually driven back by his conscience. _After all, _he thought, _they're making me worried sick as well..._

Hours continued to trickle down with no Sparda nor Adrian in sight but alas! A strange figure with dark, fiendish aura appeared just before their eyes. The daggers-bloody, horrifying- were familiar to them. The strangers eyes, bloody red, seemed to resemble someone. The stranger – in Felice's astonishment – was not a stranger after all...

"S-Sparda?" Aldenite exclaimed. The figure's head twitched right and left, preparing himself to _devour his prey._

"Looking for me, aren't you?" the assassin said as he glanced at his bloody daggers. "This is going to be a good catch for Dark Lord."

"We don't intend to hurt you, Sparda," the priestess said, teary-eyed.

"You priests should be wiped out from the face of this kingdom!" Sparda said, provocatively. "Now let me have the honor to do it to you, Holy One!"

"Not until you finish me first, _dagger-freak..._" Aldenite blocked, prepared his battle stance. The dark assassin was enraged as he heard that name – the name whom he was called by someone. Someone that he has encountered the night before. Someone... someone _close to him._

"Stop calling me with that name!" fiendish aura emanated from Sparda. He prepared his stance as well. "Now to finish you both!"

Then the armageddon began...

Weapons clashed, strikes bombarded, defenses boasted. The priestess stood trembling.

"You will do something, don't you??" Aldenite shouted to her sister. Felice suddenly woke from her unconscious stare.

"Y-yes!" the priestess breathed deeply, with holy powers filling her up fast. "Heal!!"

The gladiators continued to battle. Only the sounds of clashing daggers and axe and Holy chants from Felice dominated. Aldenite never thought that somebody imbued with such dark powers can have such strenght and agility. Priestess Felice, with the fast movements of the two, became confused... _She healed Sparda instead of Aldenite. _Upon the blessing of the holy priest, the evil assassin flinched back. Aldenite suddenly stopped.

"He's an Undead!!" Aldenite exclaimed. "There's only one solution, Felice!"

"But..." Felice replied, worried.

"We have no other choice!"

_We have no other choice... _The words resounded in Felice's mind... Unconsciously, she picked up the needed gemstone...

"Faster!" Aldenite shouted again. "He's getting up again!"

Seconds later, bright, holy light shone on the battle grounds. Holy angels hovered over the highly illuminated place. Sparda tried to run to safety but...

MAGNUS EXORCISMUS!!

The assassin saw nothing more than a bright light and deadly shots on his possessed body. He heard nothing more than the sounds of Holy Warriors, delivering justice to the unjust.

Then silence...

Aldenite and Felice approached slowly to the unconscious assassin. The dark aura was now gone. The two tried to wake their friend up.

"Sparda... Sparda..." Aldenite shook the assassin carefully. His eyes opened slowly, then looked at his friends with a smile.

"Wait, maybe you need..." Felice was about to cast the Heal spell when Sparda interrupted.

"It'll be of no use..." he struggled to reach out his hand in disapproval. He smiled weakly. "In just a few moments, I'll be gone..."

"What are you trying to say?!" Felice whispered.

"The dark powers have been so much to be tolerable..." Sparda looked away, dying yet seemed to be contented. He laughed softly.

"My body can no longer respond to your blessing..." Sparda said. "It's enough that you saved me... It's just sad... That I cannot see Adrian before I'm gone..."

The two remained speechless, letting their friend speak – for the last time.

"Just one wish... before I go..." Sparda said, finding difficulty to speak.

"Please let Adrian know how happy I am to be his friend... Too bad, I can no longer join him in his adventures and his search for his true love..." Aldenite looked away to hide his tears, trying to carry the emotion but eventually failed. Felice weeped silently, touching her friend's face.

"And... thanks for saving me... from darkness... I'll never forget the two of you... Thanks..."

The sun was already in the horizon when they reached Prontera Chapel to give the final blessings to the one who have been a valuable part of their team. Sparda was immediately delivered to his final resting place.

"I... I don't know how to tell Adrian about this when he returns..." Felice said.

"Speaking of Adrian, we should find him _immediately,_" Aldenite said. He placed his hand on Felice's hand and gave her a weak smile. "We should move on, shouldn't we?"

Shane the Dark Wizard reported to the Dark Lord, trembling.

"You failed me again, Wizard..." Dark Lord's voice boomed with authority.

"I apologize, my Lord," Shane replied. "Please give me another chance... I-I have another plan, or pawn, my Lord..."

"You have another plan, then... What if you fail again this time?" Dark Lord said.

"I'm yours, my Lord," the Dark Wizard replied, trembling.

"Who is your pawn this time?"

"He-here she is, my Lord..." A figure appeared before Dark Lord's throne. Armored with a heavy shield and sword, a Holy Warrior bowed down before the fiend.

"A Crusader...?" Dark Lord inquired.

"She's no longer a crusader, my Lord..." Shane presented the warrior proudly. "She's no longer Odin's... She's yours..."

"Good!... Good!..." The Dark Lord bursted with evil laughter. "People of Rune-Midgard! Prepare for my revenge!"


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

Prophecy Unfolds

_R. Calub 08-01-07_

With Dark Lord's devilish laughter, he exclaimed his excitement with a wave of his hand.

"Dark Wizard! Show the Crusader our army," Dark Lord commanded. "We will invade the Kingdom as soon as possible!"

"Yes, my Lord," Shane acknowledged the command with a bow to her master. "This way, Pauline."

The Dark Wizard led the heavily-armored warrior in a vast, underground abyss, with skulls swarming all over. The stench of filth surrounded the mass grave that no ordinary demi-human could eventually stand.

"Behold," Shane said, reaching forth her hand. "In the name of Dark Lord, rise! Army of Darkness!"

With the words of the wizard, the once eerie grave was now infested with wretched, wailing dark spirits, fetching the dead ones from their long sleep. Horrifying hoardes of skull warriors and horrendous zombies quickly spawned the abyss.

"In due time they'll be under your command, crusader," Shane told the crusader, with her eyes filled with evil flare. "But you have one mission to accomplish first..."

Rays of sunlight illuminated the peaceful interiors of Prontera Church. Stained glass images of Odin and Valkyries boasted its magnificence, bringing everyone who see such holy picture the faith that no evil – no, not even Loki – shall ever rule over the Kingdom of Rune-Midgard. Many times the Dark Force have tried, but many times have they failed...

_This cannot be!_ The bishop uttered unbelievingly. An old, fragile scroll shook in the hands of the aged priest. They have overcome it many times before but this time – the scrolls never lied – they may be all wiped out in an instant.

King Tristan III strode back and forth across the throne room. The old, worn scroll laid motionless on a gold-studded desk. The bishop stood trembling, waiting for the Royal Monarch to speak.

"Please read the scroll to me again..." the King asked.

"Ce-certainly, Your Highness..." the bishop replied. He sighed deeply and read the words written on the scroll.

_Words from the 40th messenger of Odin, the supreme One:_

_Forty years come great prosperity_

_The Kingdom suffereth not the works of evil deities_

_But behold, after the fortieth year comes to pass_

_Loki shall strike back..._

_Wreaking havoc over the peaceful kingdom._

_Tears of agony shall flood every city_

_Darkness shall prevail_

_Not only..._

The King gaped on the priest when he stopped reading.

"That's all?"

"Nothing follows, Your Highness."

"Where have you seen such scroll?" the King asked, his arms crossed.

"I... I don't really know, Your Highness... I-I just found it on the altar... It could be a sign from Lord Odin..." the Bishop replied, trembling.

"That's impossible! Are you trying to tell me that it just suddenly appeared from nowhere?? "

"Certainly not, Your Highness..."

"Do you then have any idea about this 40th messenger?"

"He has prophesied the monster swarm in Prontera that happened three moons ago, Your Highness..."

"Have that scroll studied in Juno... and do not let this spread all over the Kingdom, or else it might stir up my people..." the King slumped on his throne with his hand on his chin, eyeing the Holy priest doubtfully. "I'd prepare my army only after knowing the authenticity of that old scroll..."

The Bishop acknowledged the King's command and paced out of the room quickly.

Far east of the city of Prontera, a monk is meditating within the ruins of an ancient temple. Though old as it may seem, the gray walls, marked with aging cracks and patches of green moss, upheave the monk's concentration, trying to be one with nature. Flowing within him are Divine Powers different to that of a priest.

_Divinity lieth on a clenched fist_

_Overflowing within a steel flesh_

_Vigor surround the Holy_

_Who resists all ungodly_

_With one strike, the evil falls_

_Bringing them in an endless pall..._

The Monk's inner concentration suddenly stopped. He felt trembling from underneath. He heard marches, clicking skeletons, thudding flesh... He felt a dark force invading his holy space... The stench of evil reached his senses. Yet he calmly closed his eyes again for meditation.

_This is going to be a deadly strike... _The monk thought.

"This is mysterious..." the scholar in Juno said as he searched the archives of the floating library. "I have searched nearly almost every history or theological books or discourses but I haven't found what you're trying to look for."

"How come? He even made the prophecy about the monster swarm in Prontera before..." the Bishop tried to convince himself that the Fortieth messenger existed.

"You're a priest, and I'm sure that you've learned in theology that we only have thirty-nine messengers from Odin..." the scholar explained as he browsed the floating book in his hand.

_Thirty nine..._ The priest thought deeply. He was overcome by the accuracy of the prophecy about the monster invasion before.

"If there exists no 40th messenger then... Then the scroll must came from a deity..." the priest said.

"Most probably..." the scholar said, arranging the pile of books back to the shelves with a wave of his hand. "The parchment used in this scroll is very different from the scrolls in the archives. It's _no_ ordinary parchment..."

The priest silently held back the old scroll when the scholar handed it over to him. He sighed deeply. He has to go back to the King and report everything.

The priest was about to leave the floating city of Juno when he sensed a powerful dark force rising from the ground. The sky suddenly – and peculiarly - turned dark. He felt a cold wave running in his veins. _The prophecy... the prophecy... _His thoughts resounded, and each resounding reinforced when he saw the ground trembling. _The prophecy is true!_

"You think you're ready?" a lady Sage said as she wore a worn manteau over her magnificent figure.

"I guess I am..." her companion – a sage as well – replied as he encrypted flaming characters on a mystical, white scroll. "These elemental scrolls will be a great help..."

"Well, looks like you've trained that much inside the laboratory, aren't you?" the beautiful Sage remarked.

"Not quite... I'm still avoiding the Homunculus hoard... But somehow I can manage to destroy them, with a little help from others..." the Sage replied, fixing his worn manteau. "No more dying Sages this time... Let's go, the airship is leaving soon."

A few minutes later, they flew from the city of Lighthalzen. Overlooking aboard the ship, they saw dark aura rising from the cities in Rune-Midgard. Schwartzvald Republic struggled to protect itself with Juno's magical defenses.

"Looks like we have a task to accomplish..." The Sage with a green, Magician's hat said.

"A Kingdom to save, I guess." The lady Sage said with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

Loki's Strike

A Sage's Return

_R. Calub 03-30-08_

Thus the day came.

The Crusader of Darkness has just received orders from the warlock in torn cape. The message was very clear: _destroy everything that can be destroyed and let every citizen of Rune-Midgard that the Dark Lord has come back, in full force_. The duty she once had as a holy warrior of Odin has long been gone. Her soul now belongs to the ruler of the abyss. Hoards and hoards of undead and demon monsters marched before her. The stench of rotting flesh covered the thin air. The Crusader drew her sword, now smeared with blood and screaming souls.

"It is time…"

The sage in green wizardry headgear still stared at the horizon which was slowly covered up by dark fog. Although he and his companion – her savior in Glast Heim – were still aboard the airship, they seemed to have felt the tremble below, the air starting to be filled with the decaying filth.

"On second thought I doubt if I still have to go back to my friends," Adrian was almost mumbling as he spoke to Maya, the lady sage. "I wonder if Sparda is still alive."

"You're worrying too much," May-Lin came closer to the sage, grabbed his hand and held them tight. "I know that they still want to see you, and I know that they still need you. Don't make them worry. Let's go, the airship has landed." The beautiful sage pulled Adrian towards the ship's exit platform by hand.

Inside the chapel of Prontera, Felice was solemnly praying before the altar. She had been doing this for days, clearing her mind of all the tragedies she had witnessed: Adrian was nowhere to be found, and his best friend just died. She let herself be embraced with the Holy ambience when suddenly she felt a heavy force creeping within her. As she opened her eyes, she saw the sun slowly being covered dark. She tried to close her eyes again and prayed but she was continuously disturbed by such unusual feeling. Without holding any much longer, she quickly blessed herself and ran outside the chapel, only to see something horrible.

The scene was very familiar. It was not very long ago when she saw zombies and ghouls slowly creeping the capital city of Rune-Midgard but this time, the sight before her has just become worse. The Chivalry tried to defend the city but they were easily wiped out. Only the crusaders and the priests can hold on, with much effort. Felice, still in astonishment, tried to scan and look for her brother. On her surprise she saw Pauline the Crusader, effortlessly warding off the ghouls. Quickly, she ran towards the lady crusader.

"Pauline! Here, let me help!" She cast the Blessing on the battling warrior. The priestess also tried to ward off the monsters by casting exorcising spells upon them.

"Thank you! Watch out, the hoard is getting larger in number!" The crusader, seemingly concerned, warned the priestess. "Wait! My comrades need help! Please follow me…"

Felice was about to follow the crusader but suddenly, she felt something wrong with what she was about to do. She looked at the crusader, into her eyes. Something must be wrong… _There is something wrong with this…_

On the plains overlooking Prontera, Adrian and May-Lin patiently watched the scene. They seemed to be planning what they should do as they enter the besieged city. Adrian was preparing his Elemental Converter scrolls and his needed gemstones when he heard somebody calling him from the woods. The voice was familiar, and he just could not stand there and not follow the voice. It seemed urgent.

"May-Lin, if you would excuse me, I just have to hear the call of nature…" Adrian hurriedly left the lady Sage.

"Of course…" May-Lin quickly agreed but suddenly retracted. "But hey! We have a city to save don't you see?! How come you still have time for that?!"

"Sorry! I'll be back in a moment!" Adrian shouted back. May-Lin, in her suspicion, followed the hurrying Sage in stealth.

Adrian sought hard for the voice. It felt odd for the Sage, as the voice seemed to guide him towards its source. Not for long, Adrian found the mysterious voice. It was indeed familiar to him. _It was Sparda's._

Adrian stood in amazement as he saw his long-gone best friend before him. He was about to come closer when he saw something different with the Assassin. He seemed to be a vision, a specter.

"No, warlock." Sparda said, halting his friend from coming closer. "But I'm indeed glad that we see each other again. I thank the gods for giving me a chance to be here again, to guide you in your battle with the Dark Lord."

"What happened to you?" Adrian asked, scanning his friend from head to toe.

"I just left, you know? The Dark powers ate me up, I fought our friends, Felice tried to help by exorcising the demon, or I think they're demons in me, then poof. I'm a goner."

"So you're…" Adrian said, bewildered.

"Yes, yes, yes… Just what you are thinking. You never changed, don't you?"

"That's sad, I did not even had the chance to…"

"Introduce your new boo? Come on, she's just in the bushes… I can see her from here, she's pretty…" Sparda whispered with a smile. May-Lin blushed upon hearing this. She was indeed in the bushes, watching everything.

"So much for this talk." Sparda regained his dignified aura. "Like I said I'm just here to warn you that one of our friends is in great danger. Pauline the Crusader has lured our friend Philia Felice into some form of trap…"

"Trap? What trap?"

"Right now… Felice is going to have a near-death experience or even death if you don't hurry… Well I know everything is going to be fine. I just talked with Cress and he already knows what to do… So coordinate – you and your girl – with Mr. Blacksmith…"

"Thanks for the help… But, it's still sad that you are no longer with us…"

"What do you mean 'no longer with us'? If that's so then what am I doing here?? Don't worry, when you face your last enemies, I'll just be around… Oh and by the way… Once the Dark Lord's 'angels', which is the Wizzy and the Crooked-sader and the Dark Illusions, it would be very easy for you to finish the demon. When he becomes very weak, use this scroll," Sparda handed an enchanted scroll shining with divinity. "Chant the spell in there aloud, and the Dark Lord will be successfully sealed from the Kingdom."

"Thanks again, dagger-freak," Adrian said. "I think we should hurry. I'll be expecting you in our battle…"

"Trust me… I'll be there… By the way, May-Lin is in that bush, hiding…" Sparda pointed

Adrian ran towards the bush, helped May-Lin stand up, kissed her lightly in the lips, and held her by the hand. "About the city to save…"

"And your friends and the other citizens that need our help…" May-Lin smiled, and then pulled Adrian towards Prontera.

Pauline looked back to see if the priestess is following her. _She's bitten my bait. _The Crusader thought delightfully. When she noticed that the priestess is walking too slowly she hollered, but still kept her patience, lest her plan might be foiled because of her.

"Miss Felice, please hurry up… It might be too late for my comrades…"

"Ah, yes… I'm sorry…" Felice replied. She tried to be convincing and removed all the suspicion she was feeling at the moment. As they get closer and closer to the place, she gradually felt danger creeping all over her. Her heart never ceased thudding hard until they reached the place.

"Here we are…" Pauline called. She suddenly changed appearance before the priestess. Her armor turned black. The holy aura dispersed. The priestess was completely astonished.

The transformed Crusader sensed how Felice was truly dumbfounded with what she saw, then continued. "You never really thought that everything I told you is true, did you? Well, it is the _perfect_ time…"

Upon drawing her bloody sword, a platoon of ghouls surrounded Felice. Quickly, the priestess enchanted the ground with Magnus Exorcismus, but each time she cast her spell, the hoard still kept multiplying in numbers. Slowly, Felice felt exhausted. Her gems to cast spells started to run out.

"You're getting tired…" Pauline said calmly yet foreboding. "Let me lay you to your eternal sleep…" The Crusader raised the sword above Felice's head.

Suddenly, something fiery blasted behind Dark Lord's servant. Bones cracked and rotting flesh splattered around in every strike of the newcomer. Pauline turned about.

"Trying to save your sister, Cress Aldenite?" Her voice was still serene as a Crusader, but her eyes showed otherwise: it was fiendishly blank.

"You guessed that right…" Aldenite replied, preparing his battle stance. "I should have realized before that it would be too weird for you to come back to life… Your dark master has a weird taste for girls…"

With this, the Crusader lost her calm. Screaming dark souls emanated from her. "You should have known too that you wouldn't like me when I'm angry…"

The dark sword and the special mace clashed as the Crusader attacked. The warriors parried. The sound of clashing weapons dominated the thudding feet of the zombies that swarm the city.

Felice thought that the scene is something familiar. She was about to cast Magnus Exorcismus over the arena when Aldenite was suddenly thrown off by the Crusader's attack. Aldenite tried to stand up but flinched. The priestess was about to help when she was swarmed by a mob of undead monsters.

"Looks like you have no aid, Mr. Aldenite…" The Crusader cooed. She charged a pitch black sphere and was about to end the battle when suddenly, the sphere dispersed. Out of nowhere a cloaked stranger appeared before them.

"Trying to imitate a wizard?" The stranger spoke. "Let me show you what you really are… Dispell!!"

The screaming souls suddenly vanished. The dark, fiendish aura of the crusader dispersed away. The blood-endowed sword suddenly rusted. The armor of darkness disappeared.

"Now I guess you're just a simple, walking, talking cadaver who has nowhere to go…"

"Who… are… you…?" The Crusader said in a frail voice. The stranger removed the hood over his head.

"Just what I thought! It could only be you, Adrian!" Aldenite exclaimed. Felice, after exorcising dozens and dozens of ghouls, ran to see their long, lost friend who has just returned.

"Where have you been?" Felice asked in tears. "You got us worried…"

"It's a long story, Miss Felice… Maybe we should reserve that after bringing this Dark Lord's servant back to her grave…" Adrian brought out a scroll encrypted with flaming characters…

"Let me brand you first…" Adrian said. "Don't worry, it won't hurt… Elemental Change!!"

The Crusader tried to run away but the magic brand of fire was endowed upon her. Adrian hollered.

"No, we're not yet done… Let me see what I have here… Ah, water… Cold Bolt!!"

Large spears of ice struck the Crusader. At that moment they heard nothing but scream of painful agony. Adrian, who felt a slight sympathy, turned to Felice.

"She's returned to her normal undead nature. Maybe you could help her."

"I can…" Felice said. "Here it goes…"

The same bright light that Aldenite has seen when they encountered Sparda appeared again before him. Holy Angels seem to have destroyed the remaining demon within the Crusader and carried the thankful soul of Pauline up in the radiant sky. After the luminance went off, all the three saw was the Crusader's shattered armor left in the ground.

"One down… One last demon to butcher before we face the Dark Lord…" Adrian turned to his friends.

"I guess it won't be _that_ easy…" Aldenite said as he stood up. He was completely healed by his sister.

"It will…" Adrian assured them. The two gaped at the seemingly confident sage. "We have new company…"

May-Lin, out of nowhere, stepped in. The Blacksmith and the Priestess once again gaped in astonishment. They never saw someone as beautiful as Sage May-Lin.

"So, where should we start?" May-Lin smiled.


End file.
